Other GT Links

Wednesday, December 31, 2003

FOOTBALL
OK, here's your chance to get free tickets to the H-Bowl. Just go to this site and answer the trivia question......................... QB recruit Taylor Bennett has been practicing with the team in Atlanta since he graduated high school early. His 'ship will count against last year's list. Looks like he will also make the trip to the H-Bowl in Boise................... LeShawn Newberry, Andy Tidwell-Neal and Will Hardy LOST the annual Beef Bowl (steak eating contest) in Boise to the Tulsa players. The good news is that the winner of the Beef Bowl has NEVER gone on to win the H-Bowl. Let's hope these go on to eat Tulsa's lunch................................ Here is a story on a couple of Tulsa players who hope to play a big role in the H-Bowl........................ Here are H-Bowl game notes from the IdahoStatesman.............................. Here are more game notes from the Macon Telegraph................................. Looks like there might be snow during the H-Bowl. The side-benefit is that we wouldn't have to see that blue field during the game........................ Syracuse got a committment from tailback Curtis Brinkley, who we had offered a 'ship to GT also........................... Short story on James Butler...................... Steve Spurrier to Georgia Tech????? Just a rumor to stir things up in this article. Please make this just a big joke........................... Some interesting Bowl stats.................................... Here are even more game notes pertaining to GT players................................

BASKETBALL
Time for people making all kinds of predictions for 2004. Check out this guy writing for the Dallas Star Telegram. Quote - "....men's Final Four field set for San Antonio -- Duke, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma and Kentucky....", then "... Duke upends Georgia Tech for NCAA basketball crown....".................... Since UConn's loss to GT, they have been steamrolling past every opponent, winning by over 30 points a game. Here is more on UConn...................... Chris Bosh had a good game last night..................................... Jon Barry had surgery on his shoulder yesterday.......................

Tuesday, December 30, 2003

FOOTBALL
Interesting article about the H-Bowl, attendence and the requirements for it to exist in the future................................... Here is more on Taylor Bennett the QB now committed (for the 2nd time) to GT. Story also mentions a beef-eating contest in Boise between GT/Tulsa that may get cancelled due to mad cow. Come on, why let a little fatal disease get in the way of some good clean gluttony.......................... Tulsa's HC says their team is ready for GT. Meanwhile do you get the feeling that Tulsa's story is sort of the feelgood story of our bowl. Team turns around with new coach after years of not going to a bowl. Their coach is a finalist for the Bear Bryant Award. Funny that Tommy Bowden is also a finalist............... The state of Georgia North/South all-star game will kick-off today. Interesting notes - Drew Hill will be announcing the game. Also did you know that Bobby Dodd coached the first NS game ever in 1938? Just a bit of trivia for you...................... Here is SI.com's latest update on the top 10 football recruits, including Brandon Miller, who GT fans hope will join us in Hotlanta........................... Speaking of Hotlanta, former GT assistant Romeo Crennel looks like he will get an interview with the Falcons. I also think he got an interview for the NY Giants job............................ Here is an interesting take on the Bowl games. Basically bowls are exhibition games and that's why so many of them have trouble drawing fans. The argument is that if they were part of a playoff system, then people would come. "Build a playoff and they will come".....................

BASKETBALL
Some decent updates on the recruiting front. Both Zam "Buck" Fredrick and Randolph Morris's teams won in separate games (both in OT) on Monday at the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach SC. Zam scored 36 points (14-25), including 7-15 from 3pt range. Zam also had 4 boards, 3 assists, 3 steals and 3 to's. Here is the re-cap. Here is another write-up on Zam's game. Morris's team won and Randolph had 22 points (10-17), 10 boards, 3 assists, 3 blocks and 5 to's. He also appeared to have fouled out for the 2nd game in a row....................... For an update on how a lot of the ACC recruits are faring in their senior year, click here.................................. Here is a short mention of Randolph Morris............................... Here is an article mentioning Ra'Sean Dickey and his junior teammate (who we are also recruiting) Caseen Breeden. Quote from the article - "Georgia Tech is one of the hardest-playing teams in America. Having said that, Ra’Sean Dickey’s biggest challenge next season will be raising his intensity level to meet that of the Yellow Jackets. He and junior forward Cassan Breeden combined for just 3 points and 8 rebounds in the first half." Here is another quote - "Ra’Sean Dickey, PF, Marlboro County: Things didn’t begin well for Dickey as he scored just 2 points to go with 4 boards in the first half. He put it together in the second half and finished with 16 and 11 but MC fell to St. Augustine. There’s so much talent there but all the pieces just haven’t come together yet." Here are some more junior recruits Hewitt seems to be looking at, including Brian Grimes and David Huertas. Lastly on the recruiting side, Jeremis Smith's team won 75-58. Smith scored 27 points, "almost half of them on thunderous dunks", as reported by the local paper............................... Hey did you know the Bulldogs are now in the AP top 25, coming in at #24? Oh wait, that's the Miss.St. Bulldogs. My bad. How could I make such a mistake?....................... Meanwhile Jay Bilas weighs in on his opinion of GT - "What's your impression of Georgia Tech? They've gotten the most out of their personnel and ability level of any team I've seen. They've got to be the biggest surprise. Not that they're good, but that they're so good early. But I question whether we would be so high on them if Connecticut had made their free throws and Emeka Okafor wasn't hurt. That zero in the right hand [loss] column tends to seduce people. I think Georgia Tech is very good, but I don't think they're the best team in the ACC." So who does he put at the top of the ACC? He says Duke, WF and UNC are together. You know what? I can't argue too much with him. We don't know quite yet what we really have. What we have is fantastic and beyond our expectations. But is it truly top 5? I am not convinced yet. Watching the last 4-5 games my main concern is our half-court offense. Defense is solid, transition game is solid. Half-court sets and free throws still need work. But that's why we play the games................................

Article on H-Bowl and requirements to keep it around next year............... meanwhile here is an article about Taylor Bennett and his waffling. Also interesting comments on a beef-eating contest between GT/Tulsa possibly on hold with the mad cow scare.

No one wanted to talk about it...they swore before the game that it didn't mean anything, but now that Georgia Tech has handed VCU their lunch at AMC the same day they earned 21 first place votes in the AP poll to Dook's measly 5, let's take some time out to congratulate the Jackets on the most stunning 12 game opening streak in basketball history. This team might not end up doing well in the tournament...but no one suspected that this team was bubble-worthy, much less a top-5 competitor.

The game today was outstanding, with Senior Marvin Lewis going off for 19 points. After the game he said "[the win] puts me and this team in the record books, and they can't ever take that away from us." Nice going Marvin and it's good to hear the urgency to get it done this year...hopefully, that will continue to rub off.

We seesawed back and forth with VCU--at least by Tech blowout standards--but the end result was quite positive...former Dookie Jeff Capel, now head coach of VCU, squirming on the bench after realizing the game was out of hand. Get used to it, Jeff.

What could be better than winning twelve in a row? Winning number 13 against a reeling U(sic)GA club that should be no trouble for us if we're not playing below our capabilities.

Sunday, December 28, 2003

...was on CSS tonight with Paul Hewitt and Wes Durham. Here is a recap:

Opened discussing the wins over St.John's and Marist. PH said that the team has hit a lull where they are not improving offensively (more on that later). PH said the crowd really made a difference in the St.John's game and Wes added that the results could have been different if it was in NY. Hewitt said he was worried about how inspired SJ would be after losing their HC. Said SJ was a good rebounding team, particularly offensively and rebounding is an emotional skill. PH said the crowds have been great all year.

Then they went to a profile of Luke S. Talked about the same stuff about him having a good freshman year, and losing PT last year, but to some very good players like Chris Bosh. Wes quoted some former coach who said that you really want to have a center when they are about 25-26 years old. Hewitt agreed. They talked again about the 790Zone incident where Hewitt called in to the radio show. PH again said that college kids should be off-limits. If they are hustling, doing their work, taking care of school and representing the institution, they should be off-limits. If Luke wasn't hustling that would be one thing, but that is not the case here. He gives us his all.

Talked about Luke's development over the summer. Said Malcolm Mackey deserves a lot of credit, as he worked out with Luke 4 days a week starting at 7:00am each morning. In July while Hewitt was on the road, Mackey would call him and update Luke's progress. PH said Luke is a model student-athlete and he is getting his chance this year to show what he can do.

Next they went to an actual interview with Luke. He commented on how many of these players have been together for about 4 years now and they really know each other. They know what each other will do on the court, anticipate and work together well. He has really worked on his ability to use both hands as he knows that it adds another dimension to his game. Makes him harder to defend. Also talked about how he worked on his strength this summer. Not focused on just adding weight, but really worked on strength. He ended by saying he really just wanted to do whatever he could to help the team. Wants to hold his own and contribute however he can. Said he has a lot of personal goals and has a long way to go towards achieving them (didn't elaborate on what they were). Nice interview.

Then they went back to PH/WD. PH talked about he really worked on ball movement with the team prior to the Marist game. He noticed that Will Bynum made a real difference in the last two games creating easy shots for players.

Talked about VCU having great guards, which is always a challenge (didn't comment on the injured VCU guard). Talked again about worrying about the "lull" in play from this team at times the last few games. PH said he felt the defensive effort has been there, but that we are not good enough offensively going into ACC play. Said he envisions this team scoring 85-90 points a game, but we have more work to do.

Lastly, talked about the full-court press. PH said he is fairly happy with it. Have had to work on rotations a little since Bynum got into the line-up but that is normal with a new player. Overall getting better.

Well, the place to be January 19 will be Greenville SC at the Bi-Lo Center. The "Battle of the Border" will be held and many of our recruits will be showcased, including Zam Fredrick, Ra'Sean Dickey, Randolph Morris and Dwight Howard will also be in attendence.

Here is the schedule- Zam is on at 2:00
- Dickey goes against Howard at 6:00 pm
- Morris tips off at 8:00 pm

FOOTBALL
Mention of college freshman, Chris Leak and Reggie Ball........................... Meanwhile, does it really matter if there is a split national champion. This article mentioning GT/Colorado in 1990 asks the question.......................................... Here is more on Bobby Ross, and that his new salary is in the range of $600,000 earning him a government salary higher than the President. Of course, he is considered a general contractor, not an employee.................................. For a financial look at GT and the H-Bowl, check this out............................ On the recruiting trial, here is something on Darius Walker, a highly touted RB prospect we are after............................... Here is a guy who was interviewed for the GT HC job that Gailey got 2 years ago....................... Here is more on recruiting, and a list of Max Emfinger's 'rare gems', those underrated players all the "expert" recruiting services never pick up on. One of the wide receivers even lists GT as one of his favorites.............................

BASKETBALL
Turns out St.John's Elijah Ingram had his nose broken in our game last week........................... On the recruiting trail, Zam Fredrick had a tough night against another nationally ranked player, finishing 9-28 from the field. He ended up with 26 points as his Saints lost the game. Here is another re-cap, pointing out his 1-14 shooting from 3pt range. Here is yet one more re-cap. Here is the box score of the game, where you can see all of Buck's stats.................................. For a Randolph Morris update, he also played in the Beach Ball Classic and his Landmark team also lost last night. Randolph scored 21 (9-16), had 12 boards (6 off), went 3-4 from the line, had 2 assists, 3 blocks and a steal. Here is the box score...................................... Here is an article from the Athens-Banner about the GT/UGA Lady Hoops game today.................................... In yet another twist of fate, one of our cupcake games will have a team missing their star player, this time VCU. They will be missing their PG Alexander Harper.......................................... Here is the latest ESPN Power 16. And here are the individual rankings that make them up............................ Here is a story mentioning Luke's improvement in the paint.................. Here is mention of Bobby Cremins possibly going to St.John's......................... Meanwhile, Dickey V gives the nod to Paul Hewitt as early season best coaching job............................ Turns out that Ohio State is not that good so far. Hopefully for our RPI they will get better............................. On the NBA front, Kenny Anderson has been placed on the injured list...................................... It looks like St.John's faithful believe that Matt Doherty will be their next HC................................

Nice article about Zam "Buck" and how he will fit in with the Jackets next year. However, notice this comment from Hewitt

Hewitt quote:
"Zam is an outstanding (4.0) student and a great shooter," said Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt on ramblinwreck.com. "With Marvin Lewis graduating this year and B.J. Elder looking to move on, we needed to add shooting to the program, so from an athletic and academic standpoint, he is a perfect fit."

Interesting that he says BJ is "looking to move on" next year. That is slightly disappointing. Would be nice to see him provide some senior leadership next year. If you believe what Hewitt says about the this year's team - that experience is the difference, it makes you appreciate seniors all the more.

Also here is a quote re: the St.John's coaching job:
"Former Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins has been mentioned. Cremins was successful in recruiting New York kids, including Suns guard Stephon Marbury. Current Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt also been mentioned. After the No. 4 Yellow Jackets soared to 10-0 Saturday with a victory over St. John's, however, Hewitt said he had no interest in leaving."

Tuesday, December 23, 2003

GT wins by 50 points against Marist, 90-40. Of course, calling this team "competition" is stretching things a bit. But be that as it may, the Jackets did what they had to do. I didn't listen to the game as I am at family in Virginia, so I will let everyone read the re-caps for themselves. More great D (29% FG from Marist). About the only negative I can see again is free throw shooting (59%). This HAS to improve. Maybe the most impressive stat I saw - only 5 turnovers in the whole game for the Jackets. And that was with major clean-up minutes for Nystrom, West and Nelson. Strong.

BASKETBALL
GT has now moved up to #4 in both the AP and the ESPN/USAToday Coaches Poll............................... Here is more on the polls.................. Thanks to RamblinRed at the Hive for helping us prepare for Marist with these stories (Marist braces for GT.......... Young ready for game........... behind the scenes).............................. Here is mention of Will Bynum - "Will Bynum, the transfer from Arizona, has joined Georgia Tech and played in the last three games. Bynum seems to be making a smooth transition. He is averaging 6.3 points, has four rebounds and five steals. He has not started yet."...................... Here is another article talking about transfers, mentioning Bynum with a quote from PH.................... GT is one win away from our best start ever....................... On the recruiting trail, here is article about Randolph Morris and his younger brother who is 6'6" and also on the Landmark team. Also here is an article mentioning all the possible ACC spring pick-ups.................................... While on recruiting, here is Jeremis Smith's latest online journal.................. The ACC is once again on top in the hoops world, and the world is right............................ If you want your own personal video clip of Isma'il's St.John's 360 dunk, click here............... If you want the slo-mo replay, click here............................... Here is another random poll from a guy who has GT #1........................ The team was profiled in the USA Today on Monday in a nice article. There was also a secondary article on Clarence Moore............................ In NBA news, Jon Barry has been placed on the injured list with a cervical sprain. Funny I didn't know guys had a cervix........................ In other poll news, GT is now #3 in the Sagarin ratings. WF is #1, UNC #5 and Duke #7................... More on Bynum making his minutes count........................ Here is more on Hewitt saying he is happy at GT. Here is another story as well from NY.

FOOTBALL
Check out this article mentioning Taylor Bennett, the QB prospect who has flip-flopped twice and is now going to GT - "Last week, a coveted high school quarterback from Missouri nearly signed with BSU instead of big-money Georgia Tech."......................... Here is an article on Tulsa............................. Looks like Felipe Claybrooks has had an on-again / off-again soap opera with the Browns. He was inactive (again) for the recent Ravens game...................... Also looks like Dez White has caught his last pass as a Bear's receiver.............................. A former GT assistant coach could possibly the next HC of the NY Giants.

Monday, December 22, 2003

It's about time to give Luke his due after several outstanding efforts. He no longer looks like he's a boy playing amongst men and is really flowing with the offense at times...let's review the last four games:

With the exception of the St. Louis game (still, 8 boards not too shabby), Schenscher has shown that he can ball. Sure, these aren't Duke and UNC, but that isn't his fault. You can see him getting better on the court...obviously, this is what Hewitt was talking about.

I laid into Schenscher earlier this year with the following criticisms about his play (November 19) that were obvious then. Let's revisit:

1) "Out of position for many rebounds, that were quickly snatched up by Elder, Jack, Muhammad, etc." This remains a tough point for Luke, but he's making solid progress. We have some real athletes that pull down rebounds on this team, so he's a victim of an aggressive frontcourt here probably. Did anyone else notice Luke ripping the ball away from other Jackets today??? Good sign.

2) "Passive and slow on defense, watching [ULL center] Cameron pivot around him for easy layups several times. Since the Cajuns were out of the game early, they didn't go to Cameron that much, but he was eating Luke's lunch and could have scored 20+ against him. What will Danelius do to him when we play Wake?" We'll have to see what happens against Wake, but Luke has made the biggest strides in my opinion on his D. No one goes off against him (check the stats) and he altered the quick drive several times today vs. St. John's. Luke doesn't look like the slow guy when someone takes it to the hoop any longer.

3) "Unaggressive when he had the ball under the basket, electing to dribble (and lose it) rather than take it to the hole, even for a layup. If you can't get rebounds, Luke, at least provide some offensive production or get the other guy into foul trouble." Luke did not try to get fancy with the ball over the last four games and isn't afraid to draw the foul any longer. He made several nice moves to the hoop today and catches the ball well (as the announcer pointed out). Luke will not score 30 points against the Dookies (and we probably don't want him to) but his 8-12 points keeps the defense from focusing on our 3 point shooters.

4) "...he's slow to get back": I don't know if someone lit a fire under his *ss, but Luke can flat sprint back as he needs to in order to run at Jacket speed. This is a serious improvement as well and good work, Luke. Whatever you are doing is beginning to work.

The words that I used to describe Luke's play a month ago were unaggressive, passive, slow. Luke is showing us a good deal and if he can continue his maturation, I think that this could be a top ten team ever AFTER ACC play begins. Good work, Luke...keep up the good work. Go Jackets!

Sunday, December 21, 2003

...after they beat St.John's 79-66. Not great, but overall a decent game. We took care of business, but I just sense a lull in the team. The last three games to me have been frustrating, with long stretches of uninspired performances. Bottom line, they have enough in the tank to beat these teams in one half and have it carry over, but they better raise things up a notch soon. When ACC play rolls around, the level of competition is going up fast. Anyone who watched that UNC/WF game last night knows the ACC is back and in a big way. There will be no easy wins.

Defensively the team played pretty well, but St.John's hit their shots. They ended up shooting 40%, the 2nd opponent in a row that has done that. Outrebounded St.John's 39-34, but only forced 14 turnovers.

Offensively, we looked very stale at times and really didn't move the ball well in the half court set. That is where work needs to be done. I think these guys are relying too much on transition offense.

1. Luke played a VERY active game. I was pleased watching him defend, double-team and take it to the hoop. This guy is playing on another level compared to last year. He ended with 12 points (5-5), 9 boards, 1 block, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 to.

2. Elder had a good game once he finally decided to start shooting the ball. Ended with 15 (6-10), 3 boards, 2 assists

6. Moore also had 8 (3-5), hit 2-2 on 3pt, 2 boards, but fouled out. Seemed to be a little frustrated during the game.

7. Isma'il was very active during the game, came through again with a fantastic alley-oop reverse dunk from Jack. He caught the pass in front of the basket as he spun his body around and slammed it home. Another for the highlight reel. Ended with 8 (4-7), and had 12 boards, including 6 offensive. Very active on the glass.

8. Bynum gets another 19 minutes, scores 6 (2-4), has 5 assists and 1 to only. A solid outing, and there were many times where he passed up open shots. Not sure why.

From article:
".....Only seven teams with winning records didn't make it to a bowl this season, and those schools must be wondering how they were left behind when four others went bowling without a winning mark. UCLA, Kansas, Georgia Tech and Northwestern refused to send back their invitations despite 6-6 records....."

...Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien had to say about us? Seems he lavishes this praise on each team he loses to. Here is the latest:

"They are every bit as good as any team we've played, including (fifth-ranked and unbeaten) Georgia Tech," Ohio State head coach Jim O'Brien said. "They can score inside, they've got guys who can shoot, they've got good size, and they've got arguably the best point guard in the country.

Meanwhile, here is another article about it. I will excerpt the Hewitt portion.

"Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt is the perfect choice to replace Jarvis, but think of the chaos this is going to create in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets are off to a great start, but now are saddled with a distraction."

Here is the latest from the NY Post, with this comment........ "In the last 48 hours, Memphis' John Calipari, Georgia Tech's Paul Hewitt and others have issued the same statement: I have no interest in the St. John's job. "

..... then click here. A mix of everything from "St.John's is the place to be" to "why would he want to leave GT" to "The GT fans are terrible". You name. But the bottom line is that they would ALL take him now after they turned him down the first time, while GT gave him the opportunity to excel.

All I'm doing is reporting the news. Not trying to fan the flames, but it looks like Hewitt might be the "dream candidate" for the St.John's job, or at least that is what the media is portraying. Evidently St.John's has a lot of influential alumni and could throw some major bucks Hewitt's way. Let us hope he decides his future is in Atlanta. He sure is building something special and it would be so disappointing to start over.

For another quote from Hewitt, see this AJC article...... Hewitt quote: "Yellow Jackets coach Paul Hewitt, a New York native with connections in the New York area, has been mentioned as a possible successor. Hewitt said Friday night, however, that he is happy at Georgia Tech, where he is in his fourth season. "As long as Dave [Braine] is in place and Dr. [G. Wayne] Clough, and they're doing what they're doing for our program, I'm fine. I'm just concentrating on our team right now." Tell you what, I hope this issue gets resolved soon, because we still have an uncommitted big man out trying to decide if GT and Paul Hewitt are in his future.

...from the NY tabloids, mainly The New York Post. This article mentions Paul Hewitt. I think the "unnamed prominent" Big East HC quoted in the article that says only Mike Kryschsksdisdksidki wouldn't want this job has to be smoking something. There are many more higher profile programs than St.John's and they are still living off the legacy of Lou Carnasecca and Chris Mullin. They may have NY City and Madison Square Garden going for them, but it hasn't helped them in years and that AD up there has fired at least 3 HC's already. They have players who have been in trouble smoking the whacky weed, had players accused of beating up women. Does someone really think this is a great opportunity?

From article:
"St. John's soon will begin the process of searching for a new coach. Sources said Wegrzyn has a strong preference for candidates with prior head-coaching experience, such as Georgia Tech's Paul Hewitt, who was considered when St. John's hired Jarvis, and Providence's Tim Welsh. "

Here is another article talking about Hewitt....... from article - "As for who might replace Jarvis, Paul Hewitt of Georgia Tech - whose team plays host to St. John's in Atlanta tomorrow - was a finalist for the job the last time and would be a natural candidate. He has transformed the Yellow Jackets into a top-10 team this season, but he signed a seven-year deal last spring that includes a huge buyout."

CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE, also from the NY Post. They even put Hewitt's picture in it:

From article:
"Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt is the symbol of so much of the way St. John's must view itself. Why would a coach leave the ACC for St. John's? The question from now on should be: Why wouldn't he? St. John's is all-in now; they declared as much today. Hewitt, out of Westbury, who apprenticed at C.W. Post and Fordham and now has Tech in the Top 5, is on a career rocketship. If St. John's wants to be a player, they need to act like a player."

From article......... Hewitt signed a five-year contract extension this summer through the 2007-08 season that includes a $225,000 base salary. " I have a very good job and I enjoy where I am,” Hewitt said after practice.

He is also quoted as saying "I'm not going to get into any speculation. We have a game to prepare for.".......... That worries me because he just didn't come out and say - I am staying put. His comments do not rule out the possibility of leaving. Let's pray he sees the right light here.

Personally, I say give the job to John Calipari. St.John's needs a bigname coach to get the fans excited again. Calipari is stuck in Memphis, while big-names Pittino and Huggins move over to the Big East. That would let Calipari get back in the "big time" in the Big East.

Jeremis and his Dunbar team squeeked by a Shreveport LA team 59-56, but it took some intense pressure defense at the end to turn things around, as Dunbar forced 9 turnovers in the final 10 minutes. Jeremis ended the game with 27 points, 10 boards, and 7 steals. With 32 seconds left, Smith hit a bucket and was fouled. He hit the free throw, then was fouled again before time ran out, and hit two more free throws for the final margin of victory.

...has led his team to a National Championship. He should be proud, as his Delaware Blue Hens absolutely crushed Colgate 40-0. Hall was 12-for-20 for 183 yards, and also ran 12 times for 36 yards.

An interesting side note. Hall was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award which goes to the best Div I-AA player. Hall was runner-up to Jamal Branch, the running back from Colgate, who was crushed tonight. Branch carried the ball 20 times for 55 yards. Heck, Hall almost outrushed him.

Friday, December 19, 2003

On a side note, one board posted that Ra'Sean Dickey's Marlboro team lost on a last-second buzzer beater 52-49 at the Chick-File-A Classic. It was reported that Dickey hit two free-throws to tie the game, then Raleigh Millbrook "threw up" a 34 foot shot at the buzzer that went in. If I hear any more solid details, I will pass them on. No report on Dickey's performance.

Also, here is an article mentioning Dickey, as well as his talented junior teammate Caseen Breeden. Watch out, because this guy is on Hewitt's Christmas list for next year.

...and his Calhoun County Saints will be participating at the Beach Ball Holiday Invitational in Myrtle Beach SC.

From article:
The prime candidate for a Latta-like outing in 2003 is Calhoun County, a Class AA team from South Carolina led by standout guard Zambolist Frederick. Frederick, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound son of Saints coach and former South Carolina star Zam Frederick, is the 19th best prospect at point guard according to High School Hoops.

On a side note, Zam's last name is obviously a source of confusion. There are many sites that spell it "Fredrick" and others "Frederick". I have found it also as "Fredricks" as well. Some sites don't list his first name "Zam", they list him as "Buck" (his nickname), so you can imagine how much fun it is trying to find info on this guy. Maybe Zam can help us out.

....about our man Isma'il. Thanks to "reegsta" at the Hive for the tip.

From article (interviewer is Lang Whitaker):
"I ended up talking with Matt Harpring and Raja Bell about Harpring's alma mater, Georgia Tech, and the junior dunk master Isma'il Muhammad. "He's a good kid," Harpring said. "When I'm home in the summer I play pick-up ball with all those guys, and I always pick Ice to be on my teams. He's got a good head for the game and understands how to play."

"That kid is the only reason I watch SportsCenter," Bell added. "Well, him and that guy from Arizona, Agonduya...Igwondale...Agoyuday...whatever his name is." That would be Andre Iguodala, Raja. Thanks for playing.

I told Raja and Harpring about a new dunk Isma'il that my spies in Atlanta say Isma'il is currently trying to perfect. (I'm sworn to secrecy on it, though, so I can't tell you about it here. Let me just say that if Isma'il can manage this thing, he may become the greatest dunker in history.) As soon as I mentioned it to them, Harpring's jaw dropped and Raja didn't believe me. I explained how it would have to work, and they immediately jumped to their feet and started trying to block it out there in the locker room.

Harpring -- who had a copy of The DaVinci Code atop his locker -- asked me if I thought BJ Elder or Jarrett Jack had NBA potential. Before I could answer I got kicked out of the locker room because it was time for them to meet."

From article:
"The Yellow Jackets (9-0) have played better than anyone else in the country so far this season. Period.

Paul Hewitt's team's average winning margin is 25.2 points. But that number isn't as impressive as 17.3, which the average margin in their victories over the four best teams (Connecticut, Texas Tech, Ohio State and Saint Louis) they've knocked off."

I don't like this at all, with our teams going head-to-head Sat. One site tried to spread a rumor that Hewitt might be interested in the St.John's job, so the last thing we need to play them without a HC.

Lastly, check out this story at Jarvis. Notice there is a poll on who should replace Mike Jarvis. One of the choices - Paul Hewitt, who currently has 8.5% of the vote (5th behind Pittino, Matt Doherty, Bobby Gonzales, John Calipari), with 700+ voting so far.

Here is an article from SI.com that mentions Paul Hewitt as a candidate and confirms my worst fear....playing them right after their coach is fired.
From article:
"It is ironic that the Red Storm are playing at Georgia Tech on Sunday, because St. John's would love to replace Jarvis with Yellow Jackets coach Paul Hewitt, who grew up on Long Island. The reality is, Hewitt would be crazy to leave Atlanta for Queens."

Here is an ESPN article from Dickey V. saying "Shame on you St.John's". Who does Dickey mention as a possible replacement? How about our old friend Bobby Cremins.

IN HOOPS
...the top 7 teams in the ACC are a combined 47-2................... How about this for a "where are they now"? 81 year old Asher Edelstein, one of the first Jewish basketball players in the state of Georgia when he played at Georgia Tech decades ago.

FOOTBALL
Great team update from Brian Murphy. Lots of good updates, including ................ PJ Daniels taking ballet?......... Gailey voted for Tulsa's HC as coach of the year......... J.Smith and Foschi WERE snubbed ......... and nobody flunked out - YEAH!!!................................. More on Bobby Ross and his job turning around Army................ In a "where are they now" that was picked up by the Google Search, here is an interview for former GT football player Roy Simmons, now living with HIV................... Keith Brooking makes to Pro Bowl - CONGRATS!

BASEBALL
Meanwhile, Nomar really did get his feelings hurt...... And these are the Days of Our Lives. Actually looks like he might stay in Boston.

GOLF
Former GT golfer Nick Thompson will play in the 73rd annual Dixie Amateur in Florida. Here is a story about the tourney.

Thursday, December 18, 2003

......based on this writer.
From article:
"Isma’il Muhammad, Georgia Tech: A new TIVO machine with a DVD recorder so he can record Sports Center every night and edit them down to his highlights. That’s a DVD I’d buy!"

You will also note mention of a recent special issue of Street and Smith, where they ranked the 100 Greatest College Players Ever. GT had one player on the list, which was Kenny Anderson at #98. Personally I think Mark Price, Dennis Scott, Stephon Marbury and Matt Harpring deserved consideration. Although with only one year Marbury probably shouldn't make the list. But come on, no Mark Price????? You have got to be kidding me.

From the article (what he wants for X-Mas):
A long-term contract for Paul Hewitt. Something very unusual is starting to happen in Atlanta. Local sports fans are starting to hop back on the Georgia Tech basketball bandwagon for the first time in years, and credit has to go to the team's young coach Paul Hewitt. Tech might just be the best basketball team in the country. With its undefeated season, Tech belongs in the Top-5. The Jackets have already knocked off No. 1-ranked Connecticut. That could be a sign of things to come. Although Tech has yet to play an ACC game, my guess is the squad is going to make a run at the conference title. I can't wait to see this team come March Madness time. Hopefully, Tech will reward Mr. Hewitt for his hard work and assure that he's at Tech for a long time.

FOOTBALL
..... fomer GT coach, GT alumni Glenn Spencer, on why he left GT to work with Ted Roof. Best of luck Mr.Spencer, except of course against GT...................... How is Chan Gailey preparing the team for Boise? Click here to find out........... The extra time will allow injured Tulsa QB James Kilian to play again. He did have a broken collarbone.

BASKETBALL
....Well, Greg Doyel is trying to stir things up over CBSSportsline.com, predicting that Bynum's addition to the lineup will ultimately hurt our chemisty, even though he does admit "so far so good". I am not so much concerned with chemistry as I am J.Jack's play the last two games. Not up to the level in the previous 7 games, but they were blowouts and he did what needed to get done. Stay tuned.................... How's this for a stat - GT opponents now have 176 made baskets and 179 turnovers (per RamblinRed). That is fantastic!!!...................... Is Jim Nystrom bucking for more PT? So far this year, he is shooting 9-of-10 (90%) and 5-of-6 from 3pt range. So is this a fluke? Jim, just keep hitting those shots and of course playing huge D and myabe you can fight for more minutes. Keep it up....................... Meanwhile, our friend Chris Bosh has decided to continue his education, only he has changed his major from engineering to business management. I don't blame him. If he keeps progressing, he could become his own business. Hoopsworld thinks Bosh may be hitting the "rookie wall". See these comments "Chris Bosh has been a stellar rookie center/forward but he has already played more games than he did in his one year of college at Georgia Tech. Against the Spurs he looked fatigued, though visiting his hometown of Dallas two nights earlier and the whirlwind that has been his first NBA season plays a part. Itâ€™s called the rookie wall and Bosh may be getting a taste of it."........................ By the way, Bosh had a rough outing against the Spus as the Raptors lost 73-70. Bosh ended with 6 points (3-12), 0-2 from the line, 12 boards(5 offensive), 2 to's. Still cleaned up on the glass well, but some of the comments I saw were that he missed a handful of close layup type shots. Trying too much to finese them in instead of slamming it home. Keep working Chris. There will always be nights like this.

This talent is on GT's radar for 2005, along with a LOT of other schools. In his latest game he scored 24 points, had 15 boards, and 16 blocks. Yes....16 blocks. He's actually considered the best Canadian player in his class and is playing his high school ball in Bayside NY. Colleges interested include UConn, Texas, Illinois, Mich, Mich St, UNC, Syracuse, USC.......etc.....etc.

Here is an excerpt from an article talking about UConn's interest in Davis:
"UConn assistant coach Tom Moore was an interested spectator Friday at the Cardozo High boys’ basketball practice in Queens. Moore was at Cardozo to check out junior Theo Davis, a 6-foot-9, 210-pound forward who recently moved to New York from Ontario, Canada.

Davis is among the best junior prospects in New York City this season. Although he needs to add strength, Davis figures to be a dominant player in the post when he reaches college.

Moore has been recruiting Davis since last season and checked him out at the Nike camp in Indianapolis during the summer. Davis has also been to a couple of UConn practices."

Another article I found from an Addidas tourney, says this:
"Some notable performances were put forth by a variety of players. The teams most consistent and dominant player was 6’9” Theo Davis. Davis was unstoppable all week long and continued to build on his national reputation. Some prominent coaches from conferences such as the Pac-10 and ACC even went as far as saying they would take Davis on their squad right now. Imagine what they will think in two years when Davis is done high school. "

....you have to see this. Classic "Farking"...... Some of these are just hilarious, some are sick, some are lacking in class...... but it IS Coach Krydhhshdffsdfsfkkkssdkkkiii.

And for more proof that DOOK is NOT the bastion of athletic life, check out this article. They do what they have to do to win games my friends. They get plenty of kids who would NEVER get into DOOK on their own. Plenty.

Every school does what it has to do. But it is worth saying that at least three of our signed hoops recruits for next year could have gotten into GT on their own through academic accomplishments.

...scores 22 points.......WITH THE FLU!!! Even though "Buck" and 3 of his teammates were battling the flu, they managed to beat Barnwell 85-53. Their record is now 5-0 and they play Columbia Friday night at home.

Excerpt:
Landmark Christian: Landmark will travel to the Beach Ball Classic Dec. 26-30 in South Carolina. Randolph Morris, Landmark's 7-foot center who is averaging 27.5 points and 14 rebounds, will go up against some of the nation's top talent. In the first round, the War Eagles will face No. 12 Archbishop Spalding of Maryland, which has 6-9 Rudy Gay. He is averaging 22 points and has committed to Connecticut. The War Eagles also will play in the Dell Curry/Bank of America High School Shootout in Charlotte, Jan. 1-4.

Nice story on this talented young man from Buford GA. This guy has 54 scholarship offers in Div I-A. Holy cow! To give some perspective here, there are only 117 Div I-A programs in the country. Pretty much can write his own ticket.

What's really impressive is the smarts he has. A 4.0 GPA, a high level of maturity, and his head really seems in the right place. Maybe GT will find his heart with the unique combination of high-profile athletics and academics we have to offer. Can you imagine where this program could go with a talent like this in the backfield, Reggie Ball taking the snaps, Calvin Johnson at WR (another talented guy), along with the strength on both lines that Gailey is recruiting? Sky's the limit. We can dream.

There is a nice spread on Chris Bosh in the December 22nd issue of Sports Illustrated...a three page article with lots of good pictures (as usual per SI's tradition). The title is "That other rookie" and the article highlights he and Vince playing for the Raptors, how he fits in, etc. He's still such a great kid...when asked about how he's taking it all in, he says "Am I surprised by how well I have done? Yes, I am." We've had a few great players in the NBA, but I wouldn't be surprised if Bosh is up there with Price and Salley as far as impact if he stays healthy.

Finally, staying with SI for a minute, they've given us the nod in their poll. The tagline on the front page:

HOOPS
Surprised at the ACC's success? Don't be, as this article points out. In fact, he says that GT is actually the lynchpin of the strong ACC this year........... Here's one AP poll voter who has voted GT #1 (see bottom of article) since our win over UConn. Kind words from Dick Weiss........................ Looks like the Barry brothers (Jon and Brent) want to have a 3-pt contest at the all-star game. Check out Brent's humorous quote - "Brent said he told Jackson it "would be kind of fun" having Jon in the contest since he played at Georgia Tech. Then Brent joked, "But there are too many white guys in the league and they don't want to see white guys in All-Star Weekend."

BASEBALL
A nice background story on Nomar. Sure to be more as his name is mentioned in trade rumors.

FOOTBALL
Now it looks like Taylor Bennet has put his college choice decision on hold. I really feel for this kid. The pressure, the media attention. This is an important choice for him. I would love to see him at GT, and I hope his heart leads him here........................... Looks like former GT QB Andy Hall has led his team to the title game, where his Delaware Blue Hens will face Colgate. You can do a Google News Search for Andy Hall and I'm sure there will be lots of stories about this guy. Way to go Andy!!!

....on the Southern Sports Report on FSS this morning. Nice story that focused on the fact that Robert is a very intelligent, deep thinking guy. He writes poetry and draws some wild art. They showed some of his stuff on TV. In the interview, he said "I know I am a liberal arts guy at a technical school". In high school his nickname was "the Prodigy" because of his deep thinking. Bottom line is that he is taking 100% advantage of his free education at GT.

Hewitt was also interviewed and commented on how he really knows his role on the team, to rebound, play defense, take shots if they are open, and if not, keep the ball moving.

A nice story overall and a nice job showing one of our non-superstar players.

More great defense as the Jackets roll. At one point the score was 53-15, so they put things away early. Sounded like things got sloppy in the 2nd half (listened on the net), as clean-up time was extended extra long. The team definitely needs to think about how to maintain concentration for the entire game, because it seemed to disappear in the 2nd half of this game. In fact, this was the first time we have been outscored in a half. Just shows how strong our first half was as we still won by 33.

1. Forced 28 turnovers and got 20 steals and held A&M to 25% shooting. OUTSTANDING and once again the building block for the win.

2. Offensively, it sounded like we weren't exactly lighting things up. We ended up shooting 45% and 29% from 3-pt range. Jack and Elder combined for 0-7 from 3-pt range. For a strange stat, notice that Luke was the only player in double figures scoring. In fact, Nystom and Lewis ended with 8 each, as our 2nd leading scorer. The minutes were spread around. Nine guys with at least 15 minutes. Seven guys with at least 20 minutes, and none more than 26.

3. We actually turned the ball over 18 times, which is too many against a team like this. No doubt a handful of those happened during cleanup time, so we'll cut some slack. In fact there were 12 turnovers in the 2nd half.

4. LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUKKKKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE..... is the man!!! Scores 22 points (10-14), grabs 5 boards, 3 steals. Nice going!!!! In fact, he was interviewed after the game. First time I have heard him with the Aussie accent. Very modest about how his teammates made the shots easy for him.

5. A little concerned with Jack's play the last two games, although we have done what needed to be done. Jack ended with 4 points (1-7), 6 boards, 5 assists, 6 steals, 7 to's. Obviously the to's concern me, but it is hard to judge a performance on the radio against a team like this. But this game is not characteristic of Jack's play. Is it pure coincidence that both games were the first for Bynum. I want to believe there is no link, but we will have to keep our eyes open.

6. Free throw shooting SUCKED. 12-26 for the game. Isma'il was 1-8, Bynum 1-4, Luke 2-5, This will lose us some games in ACC play if we don't tighten up here!!

7. Bynum gets 20 minutes in the game and starts to show us what we have heard about. He hits two key 3-pt shots early that really break the game open. He also shows his ability to break down a guy off the dribble. After the game, Hewitt has positive things to say about Bynum. The only negative was his rusty dribbling, which has been a little lose the last couple of games. But that should tighten up just fine.

8. Outrebounded them 45-37. Another good sign, but when ACC play rolls around, this will mean a lot more.

Overall another blowout win. I am worried about the concentration level, but that is part of the learning process. Nice victory for the Jackets.

"Over the border, under the radar". Nice story about Bosh and his success in the NBA from Fox Sports. I love Iverson's comments about when Bosh blocked his shot at the end of their latest game to seal the victory...."It was a shot that I take and usually nobody's able to touch it," Iverson said after the game. "He was able to get a finger on it."

Here are details.................. Also, on Dec 20 at 8:00 pm, ESPN Classic will be showing our classic loss to FSU in 1992 on the gridiron. I don't know how they were able to decide which classic FSU / GT loss to pick.....there were so many.

This article points out the schools with the largest gap between student and athlete grad rates. One of the worst, unfortunately was GT, with a 27% gap between students and football players. The article also points out the weaknesses in the system, since it counts anyone that leaves as non-graduation, such as transfers and those going pro early. What it does not say is what years this is from. Certainly could point to a lot of things......hard GT curriculum.........more issues with academic oversight, etc.

I'm not really drawing conclusions here, just found it and thought it was worth pointing out.

HOOPS
...Who's #1....GT gets a mention...................... Seth Davis over at SI.com, explains why the rankings DO matter, as they stir debate. A quote from the article "How better to calibrate Georgia Tech's stunning start to the 2003-04 season than by saying the Yellow Jackets went from being unranked in the AP preseason poll to fifth in this week? That, by the way, is Tech's highest ranking since February, 1986 -- yet another helpful gauge." .............................. Over at Fox Sports, Mike DeCoursey thinks GT is one of three teams that have a valid claim to #1.................................. Over at ESPN, we have moved up to a #1 seed in their Power Rankings 16 "Jackets have Katz's vote of confidence. Then again, not since the days of Ferrell and Price has Tech been so respected on the national level." Here are the individual votes, with Katz having GT #1, Vitale #8, Bilas #12, Lunardi #4 and Frashchilla #3................................... What is the key to GT's success? Is it rebounding? John Hollis thinks so ................... Did you know that GT's record, if you look at each HALF of each game is 16-0, the best record in the country? We are the only team who has outscored EVERY opponent in every half. For more good comments on GT sent to ESPN, check this out.............................. On the recruiting trail, Ra'Sean Dickey's #2 rated Marlboro County Bulldogs lost to Lancaster last night. Dickey was in foul trouble early and ended with 14 points......................... Zam Fredrick's Calhoun County Saints CRUSHED Swansea 108-44. Zam "Buck" ended with 32 points, 3 boards, 4 assists, and 8 steals. Zam's father, Zam Sr., is the head coach and the team is now 4-0............................Meanwhile, here is a junior HS PG we are recruiting from Delaware, Caesar Rodney........................................ Info for tonight's Alabama A&M game........................... Did you know that big white guy from St.Louis that had a good game was getting over a major asthma attack from when the circuis came to town. Insert your own joke here.

FOOTBALL
More lowly thoughts on our H-Bowl..."The timing could be better: The second-to-last bowl game, oddly enough, pits Georgia Tech against Tulsa in the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho. Says Richie Whitt of the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram, "Imagine a televised game between the Rangers and Brewers from Manitoba on the off day before World Series Game 7.".............................. Here is another person who has tabbed the H-Bowl the worst. ................... FINALLY, someone with a right attitude - Fox Sports - and their list of why every bowl is worth watching. Thanks Fox. Meanwhile, here is a story about Reggie Ball and his concussion. Interesting quotes...................On the recruiting trail, we just LOST one of our QB recruits that had verbally committed. Taylor Bennett, a 6'3" QB who had committed to the Jackets in November, decided his heart was in Boise, and has verballed to Boise St. Too bad......................................... Meanwhile, one of the recruits that visited last weekend, Rory Nicol, one of the top tight ends in the country, has selected Ohio State...................................Here is a kid we stopped recruiting last year because of his size, who has made a nice impact in Div I-AA. I guess if your heart is bigger than your torso, anything can happen. .................................The Seattle Bowl looks like it will be revived for next year............................. Meanwhile, South Carolina's AD took a page from Dave Braine and sent an "I feel you pain" letter to alumni after they were bushwacked by rival Clemson...................... Here is a list of freshman tracked by USA Today who graduated high school early in order to attend spring practice and how they fared during the year. For GT, it was Al Pena, the QB who ended up transferring to Oklahoma State.

...that Bobby Cremins would be a possible replacement at St.Johns when they can Jarvis. Now Gregg Doyel over at Sportsline has picked it up:

from article:
St. John's and Cremins two of a kind
Dec. 15, 8:45 a.m. ET

Behind the scenes, St. John's fans of influence are checking into the availability of potential replacements for embattled coach Mike Jarvis -- and one of their targets has been Bobby Cremins.

Cremins, who played at South Carolina and coached at Georgia Tech, has lived at Hilton Head, S.C., since retiring from Georgia Tech in 2000. But he's no southerner.

Cremins is a New Yorker through and through, and at Georgia Tech he showed he could recruit the city by landing Kenny Anderson and Stephon Marbury. While his last few years at Georgia Tech were down, Cremins was 354-237 in 19 years, and had a 15-11 record in NCAA Tournament games.

Why would Cremins be interested? He still has that basketball jones, mainly. He conducts occasional clinics for the Boys & Girls Club and is a regional television commentator, as was the case Sunday for North Carolina's home game against Akron. Two years ago, Cremins was linked to the opening at South Carolina, before the Gamecocks hired Dave Odom.

Cremins and St. John's have always seemed to have a magnetic pull, like other famous New York City twosomes: Steinbrenner and Reggie ... Messier and Sather ... Ross and Rachel.

Caught Paul Hewitt and BJ Elder in-studio for an interview on the ACC Sports Live TV show on Fox Sports South. Before the interview they did a whole hoops re-cap

- last time GT in the top 10 was Jan 11,1993
- best start in a decade
- taking the nation by storm
- deserving of all the praise
- biggest "ex"-secret in the NCAA
- loaded with experience
- 4 players in double-figures in scoring

Then they went to Hewiit and Elder. Most of the Q&A was very similar to some of the interviews we have heard from Hewitt lately, so I won't repeat myself. See posts below for some of those things.

Here are some comments:

PH: Our success might have been a surprise to some, but not to those who saw us practice. We realized early on that we might have something very good here.

J.Jack (taped interview): "If we play our style of defense, then we don't think anyone can beat us".

BJ: "We have a lot more maturity on this team. We take things one game at a time, when in the past, we would have been looking ahead to ACC play. Now we don't look ahead."

Question: You lost Bosh, lost Nelson, then Tarver went down. How have you made up the difference down low?
PH: We, before we lost Theodis, when I looked at the ACC and big men, we really had one of the most experienced front-courts. Now, losing Theodis has made our job more difficult, but Luke is playing very well so far, improving his performance. He had a good freshman year, and a rough year last year, but he has improved and it is showing. He worked in the off-season with Malcolm Mackey.

Qestion to BJ: Your team looks like you really ENJOY playing defense.
PH: "I can't wait to hear BJ's answer".
BJ: "That's what we pride ourselves on - shutting down opponents. We know that if we do our job there, it will lead to easy opportunities on the offensive end."

Question: Tell us about your roommate Isma'il. It seems he is on ESPN after every other game.
BJ: "It is becoming common to see what he does, but he still manages to surprise me sometimes."

Question: Chemistry on this team seems to be high.
PH: "You could see the chemistry right from the start of the season."

Overall, another good promotion for the Jackets and good regional exposure. As always, GO JACKETS!!!!

Nice comments about Hewitt, who has DV's vote for Coach of the Year so far.

From article:
If you have to select the best coaching job so far who would get your vote? Mine goes to Paul Hewitt. His Georgia Tech team has been sensational. No one had them on the radar for a Top 25 slot in the preseason. Yet, they won the preseason NIT beating Texas Tech in the championship and blowing out then-No. 1 Connecticut in the semifinals. How are they doing it? With brilliant perimeter play from B.J. Elder, Jarrett Jack and the explosive Isma'il Muhammad there is no downside. What impressed me is that Hewitt didn't pout and sulk after losing 6-10 Chris Bosh to the NBA after his freshman season. He didn't cry when Ed Nelson transferred to Connecticut. This team is no fluke.

Also note, Isma'il made it to Dickey V's "Slam, jam take it to the hoops team".

....but not this year. While Oliver Purnell will struggle this year with the talent he has, he is already amassing some major talent. He signed 3 top 100 players for next year's class, and now he has gotten committments ALREADY from 2 top-50 high school juniors!!! Here is the latest. The other is Joey Cameron. Of course none of the commits is binding until they sign their letter of intent. But let me tell you, being in Clemson territory, that Clemson historically does not compete well for top 100 players. They have a reputation as a football school that treats hoops as a 2nd-class citizen, their campus is not near any major city and they do not have a storied tradition. But Purnell may be changing that. Watch out.

So now we have another great recruiting coach in the ACC to add in FSU, GT, MD, DUKE, UNC, WF. The weak links in the ACC keep getting stronger.

From the article.
Despite the high rankings, Coach Paul Hewitt said there is still some skepticism of the Yellow Jackets' hot start.

"I think we all realize that in the back of everyone's mind, they're thinking, 'OK, they're having a nice little run in the preseason, but what's going to happen once they get to the ACC season?'" Hewitt said. "Right now, we have to take whatever we get and appreciate the ranking, but we have to understand that we have to keep getting better with every game."

Tech opens its ACC season on Jan. 11 at North Carolina. The Yellow Jackets have five non-conference games - four at home - before that game.---------------------------------
On a side note, this is some nice coverage by the Macon Telegraph of the hoops team, with updates on Tarver and Bynum after his first game. Well done.

...I sure would hate to lose this kid. If he hadn't hurt his knee, it is possible that he could have been our starting QB all season. Not taking a thing away from Reggie...he deserves it. But if this kid can play multiple positions, and we all KNOW we need more WR talent, why not give him a try?

Also, notice the recruiting comments in the article linked above. If you want to talk WR talent, look no further than Calvin Johnson. Not only is he one of the top WR prospects in the nation, he is an outstanding student. Hope to see him in Hotlanta for the next four years.

...or at least his very close friend Glenn Spencer, who has been our defensive line coach the last 2 years. He will be joining Duke as assistant HC and possiby defensive coordinater. Best of luck Mr.Spencer. Sounds like a good opportunity for you.

My personal favorite
Norm Sloan, the former North Carolina State and Florida basketball coach who died this week at 77, wasn’t a stickler when it came to the academic qualifications of his recruits. When Pat Kennedy took over as coach at Florida State in 1992, he said Sloan once tried to recruit a player to Florida who “was so dumb he had to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to himself because the ending helped him remember his name.”

Monday, December 15, 2003

Excerpt on GT:
Like Missouri, Georgia Tech is already a team playing well and doesn't necessarily need to tinker with what's working so well. But the Yellow Jackets added former Arizona guard Will Bynum (six points, three assists in 18 minutes in Saturday's win over Saint Louis).

Yes, the Yellow Jackets were already loaded on the perimeter with B.J. Elder, Isma'il Muhammed and Jarrett Jack. But Bynum, a scoring guard, will certainly give the Yellow Jackets even more depth. He just has to accept his role and not come in and try to be a star.

The pressure is off him, just like it is for Conley and Pulley.

"Will has been great," Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt said. "He has watched us be successful and isn't doing anything dramatic. He just wants to fit in and it has been great for Jarrett Jack for practice. He adds more ballhandling, better pressure on the ball and he will free up B.J. Elder to be a big-time scorer. "There is going to be a certain amount of rust. Will's handle wasn't as tight. It's a matter of getting back in game shape. He got winded at the end Saturday. Not sure if that's nerves."

....just committed to the Jackets. This kid is a 3-star DE/DT, 6'3", 255 lb, and in the Insiders "Southern Hot 100", from Madison Alabama. Many "experts" consider him one of the 10 best at his position in the country. A major talent and a great student as well. Check out these comments about his academic accoplishments. Here is his profile. Looks like Gailey has another winner here. David picked GT over Georgia, Alabama and Notre Dame, all who offered him 'ships. OUTSTANDING!!

Welcome to GT David....you will not regret your decision. The future is bright!!!

....this week we have moved to #5 !!! Great going Jackets!! UConn has moved back to #1, which for GT fans should be considered a good thing. After all, their only loss was to.....the Jackets. And guess what - 14 first place votes. Rock-on!! Here is a link with the new list.

Here are his quotes about GT:
Coach Paul Hewitt and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are still on their rampage. They haven't lost a game, and gain more and more respect by the college basketball gurus every week. I basically have one more semester until I can join the team and say I am a part of the new dynasty.

I really think that they have a chance at winning the NCAA championship this year. Maybe I'm just being biased, but it's my right to say that they are my final pick.

1. The nickname sounds awesome
2. The first line from the classic Moby Dick story goes like this - "Call me Ismael.".
3. The educational significance works well with the GT crowd.

So, attention media.....pick up on this one for future stories. Let's see it used. It fits. I would love to hear it cited during Isma'il's next Sportcenter Top10 play....although "remove all women and children from the baseline" was pretty awesome.

...has committed to the Jackets. He is a 5'11" wide receiver out of Florida. Here is his profile. He also had offers from Nebraska, UConn, South Carolina and UCF. In one ranking, he will listed tehe 15th best player in Central Florida. One thing is obvious - as with basketball, we have to go after the top-student athletes and use our academic offerings to entice these smart kids. Johnson is another kid interested in engineering.

WELCOME to GT Mr.Johnson.

Here is a quote from one article:
West Orange's James Johnson is one of the fastest and smartest players in Orange County. He scored three touchdowns in the Warriors' spring jamboree after running the 100 meters in 10.6 seconds on the track.

This from another article:
Some of the other players scheduled to visit UConn include running back Tyease Thompson of Lakeland, Fla., wide receiver James Johnson of Ocoee, Fla., defensive end John Bedics of Bethlehem, Pa., and running back Justin Forsett of Arlington, Texas.

Johnson goes to the same high school (West Orange) that produced former UConn wide receiver/running back Tory Taylor.

In addition to an offer from UConn, Johnson has scholarship offers from Georgia Tech and Central Florida. He is interested in studying engineering.

"One advantage UConn has is they offered him first," West Orange coach Tim Smith said. "They are really interested in him."

Johnson has run a 10.6 100-yard dash as a member of the track team, Smith said. Johnson's ability to return punts and kickoffs makes him even more appealing to UConn.

From the article:
"....As for that famous personality, it has a positive side as well as a negative one. He is a very intelligent man who got stellar grades as a chemical engineering major at Georgia Tech before finding out he was a good enough pitcher to pursue a baseball career...."

...will be on display Dec 22 at the Chick-Fil-A Classic. Here are some details

Basketball news: Several top college recruits will be on display at the second annual Chick-fil-A-Classic Thursday-Dec. 22 at Richland Northeast High School. Eight nationally ranked players will be in the field including 6-6 Clemson signee Sam Perry. Other major college signees will include 6-9 Cedric Simmons (N.C. State), 6-10 Ra’Sean Dickey (Georgia Tech), 6-7 Cameron Stanley (Wake Forest), 6-9 Damion Harris (Tennessee) and 6-3 Andrae Belton (Tennessee State).

The state’s top ranked junior, 6-8 Cassan Breeden of Marlboro County, also will be in the tournament.-----------------------------------------------------------------
Also, another nice article on Chris Bosh as he returns to Texas to play the Mavericks.